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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet1. R. GORNALL.

TRACTION WAY No. 325,167. Patented Aug. M5, 1885.

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R. GORNALL.

TRACTION WAY.

No. 325,167, Patented Aug. 25. 1885.

OOOOOO OOO N PETERS, Pholo'Lilhogmpher. WithillKOvL D. C,

Ilnrrn STATES ATENT Orrrcn.

ONE-I-IUNDREDTHS TO GEORGE A. DUBREUIL AND JACOB HEOHT, BOTII ()F SAME PLACE.

TRACTION-WAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,167, dated August 25, 1885.

1 pplication filed July 5, 1882?. Renewed July 98, 18: 5 (X model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD GORNALL, of Baltimore city and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in TractionWVays; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is an improved traction apparatus designed, principally, for street-railways; but itis applicable to canals and to other positions where vehicles of any kind are drawn by stationary power acting upon a moving cable.

Heretofore cars and other vehicles have 1 been drawn by means of an ordinary cable supported upon pulleys, with gripping devices whereby the car or other vehicle could be connected to the cable at will. These have been used, mainly, so far as I am aware, only for street-ears, and the cable heretofore has been located beneath the surface of the ground; but it has also been suggested to carry cables in the same manner overhead with the gripping apparatus mounted upon the car and extending upward to the cable.

In all cases, however, where an ordinary cableis used it must be supported upon pulleys, and as the gripping apparatus seizes upon the cable means must be provided to prevent it 0 from coming in contact with the supportingpulleys when the vehicle is drawn along by the cables. Various devices have been invented for this purpose; but they are all more or less expensive and add more or less to 3 5 the complication of the apparatus.

In the British Patent No. 4,800 of 1878, a flat cable is shown adapted to move in an underground tube with supportingrollers underneath and on each side. This could, if

practicable, be used only for underground traction, and could not be used overhead. In climates where any considerable amount of snow falls it would be objectionable, if not impracticable.

My present invention is for the purpose of avoiding the use of any of the devices required in ropeways to carry the gripping devices around the supporting-pulleys, and to provide a cable adapted either to underground or aerial positions, to which the gripping mechanism may adhere without inter fering with the pulleys and my invention consists,principal1y, ofa flattened band or cable, in combination with pulleys gripping on each side of one edge of said flat band or cable, and with devices either on the pulleys or cable, whereby the cable is supported either in an overhead or underground position, and an exposed edge of the cable left for the gripping mechanism.

My invention also includes various details ofconstruction devised for conveniently carry ing out the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a part of the traction band and the gripping mechanism. Fig. 2 1s afront view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view; Fig. 4, a modification of the holding-bracket. Fig. 5 is a rear view of a modified form of gripper; Figs. 6 and 7, modifications of tractioir band. Figs. 8 and 9 represent details; Fig. 10, a modified form of traction-band; Fig. 11, a modification of bracket.

I have shown the flattened traction device in the form of a ribbon or band of steel or other suitable material, and in this specification I have described fully the details of construction for this particular form; but the band may be made in different ways, and its function and the spirit of my invention require only that it should be fiat and in the form of a band,so that it may be held in the supportingpulleys with one edge projecting beyond said pulleys and adapted to be gripped by the device which connects the vehicle to the band.

One form of the steel ribbon or band is shown at A. It is provided upon one edge with a series of short ribs, a, which serve to support it in the pulleys without interfering with its flexibility, that being permitted by the short space between the ends of the ribs. The ribs are preferable upon both sides, and may be attached to the ribbon in any conven ient manner; but I have shown hereinafter special constructions which I have found convenient for the purpose. I have shown the band or ribbon in connection with elevated supports, and in this relation the band is provided with a rib upon its upper edge. Ordinaril y, for street-railways and similar. purposes, an endless rope or series of such ropes is used to draw the cars or other vehicles. I have shown only a part of such an endless band; but it will be understood that the general arrangement of the drivingdrums and endless band is the same in this as in other similar structures heretofore known.

The supporting pulleys or sheaves are shown at B 13. They are formed with the groove 1), and are arranged horizontally upon vertical studs set in the crossbeams of the supportingstructure. These sheaves or pulleys are in pairs, set opposite each other, a space between sufficient to allow the band to pass freely, and the grooves also are sufficient to receive the ribs and allow them to move without binding. Thus the band is supported by its upper edge, and the lower edge projects below the pulleys, and affords space for the jaws of the gripping device to take hold.

It will be understood that a series of such pairs of pulleys may be used throughout the whole extent or line of railway. Instead of one pair of pulleys, I may have a supporting bracket, as shown in the figures, with a pair of pulleys at each end. The same kind of pulleys is used around curves, and the brackets used upon curves may be fixed permanently to the beams of the supportingstructure.

In order. to support the gripping devices and to prevent them from slipping off from the band when loose, I provide aseries of holes in the lower edge. These are adapted to receive the pins 0 of the pulley 0, carried upon projections on the arm or pole of the vehicle. Opposite this pulley is set a grooved pulley, D, the groove (Z being adapted to receive the pins of the pulley O, and these pins are set so that they register with'the holes in the lower edge of the band and enter the groove in the pulley D.

The pole intended to be used by me in this connection is the same as that shown in the application filed by George A. Dubreuil in the United States Patent Office on the 4th day of April, 1883, and the gripping-jaws are the same as therein shown, except that I dispense with the side anti-friction rollers, and have provided means for the more accurate adj ustment of the faces, and have added arms to support the pulleys above described.

The gripping-jaws are just behind the pulleys heretofore described, but may as well be placed in front. For more definite understanding of this part of the device reference is made to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5.

On the end of the pole is a curved crosshead, 6, and upon it are pivoted jaw-levers E. The lower ends are spread by the wedgeshaped end of the arm F, as in the aforesaid application. Upon the jaw-levers are horizontal arms g,setalitt1e above the pivots, and these carry the pulleys heretofore described. On the arms 9 and extending outward are ears, which receive small rods 1, which are attached to the end of the wedge-lever and pass up through holesin the ears, being bent over after passing through. These are so adapted in respect to their length that when the end of the Wedge-lever to which they are attached is thrown down so as to release the jaws they draw upon the ears and pull the jaws apart, and at the same time separate the pulleys. This also releases the grip upon the band. \Vhen the wedgelever is thrown up to cause the grippers to take hold, the rods pass freely up through the ears. The wedge-lever is operated through a rod, h, which is connected to a hand-lever upon the platform of the car or in reach of the attendant as shown in the aforesaid application. Thejaws are adjusted by means of set-screws 2 2, so as to grip closely upon theband; or any other convenient means may be used for the purpose.

It will be understood that the gripping devices above described may remain upon the band after the jaws have so loosened that the band will pass through them, very slight movement of the jaws being sufficient for that purpose. The pins of the pulley O, continuing to work in the holes, support the gripping mechanism upon the band; but in case it be desired to remove the gripper from the band, as when passing the cable of a road running across the track with its traction-band lower, the jaws may be forced apart to their full extent by the reverse movement of the wedge,- lever. This may be effected by the operator upon the car through the connecting-rod h that is, by pushing up the rod hor it may be effected automatically by the pin w in the arm X of the wedge-lever.- This pin 0: projects laterally, and is struck by an arm upon the bracket depending from the supporting frame-work in the manner explained in the aforesaid application of Dubreuil.

Instead of the pins of pulleyO on the jaws, I may use two grooved pulleys and provide a rib upon the lower edge, the same as that heretofore described for the upper edge. however, is not absolutely essential, either above or below, as the pulleys with pins and grooves heretofore described may be used upon the supporting-structure to carry the upper edge of the band. This is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 10. Fig. 4 shows a bracket similar to that heretofore referred to. Instead, however, of the two grooved pulleys, it'carries ore grooved pulley, O, or one grooved pulley at each end, and directly opposite this a second pulley, P, formed with pins adapted to enter holes in the band, and passing through those holes to enter the groove in the said pulley in the manner described heretofore in relation to the supporting-pulleys upon the pole of the vehicle. The band to be used in connection with this kind of supporting-pulleys is shown in Fig. 10, and it consists simply of a plain band or ribbon of steel with a row of perforations near each edge, as shown in that figure. One edge of this band passes between the pulleys O and P, the pins of the pulley P passing through the holes as the band is drawn through The rib,

and the pulleys turned.

The pins hold the f band securely, and at the same time permit its free passage, while the other row of holes is 1 adapted to receive the pins of the pulley upon f the horizontal arms of the pole in the manner heretofore described.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a convenient v method of forming the rib. I cut the ribbon or band with slots 3,and provide rib-pieces m t in thickness exactly adapted to the width of 1 The kerf The Short kerfs are cut in the end of ner end of the cutaway portion to the inner end of the kcrt' 5 equals the length of the slot in the band.

The end of the rib-piece at the kerf 6 is spread, as shown in Fig. 8, and this end is slipped into the slot far enough to bring the kerf at the other end into line when it is pushed forward, so as to cause the kerl' 5 to embrace the band. The outwardly'turned ends of the rib'picces are then bent in until the shoulder 7 enters the slot. This holds the rib-pieces securely in place.

The portion of band shown in Fig. 10 has elongated holes, and in practice I prefer this form.

The bracket for supporting the pulleys may be advantageously modified, as shown in Fig. 11, for the purpose of allowing the pulleys to accommodate themselves to inclines on the top and bottom of different grades. The crosspiece t, on the ends of which are pivoted the two pulleys, is pivoted on the end of the brackct, so that the pulleys may assume a position in any desired plane.

The invention has been described as elevated above the way; but obviously it is equally adapted to underground positions, it being necessary in such position to reverse the position of the supporting-palleys.

'What I claim is 1. A traction device for cars and other vehicles, consisting of a flat band or cable, one i edge of which is adapted to pass between and engage wit-h the pairs of a series of pulleys, whereby the band or cable is supported laterally and vertically and a free edge presented for the gripping device, substantially as described.

2. A series of pairs of pulleys supported on suitable framework above a way, in combination with a suspended flat band or cable, the upper edge of which is adapted to engage with the pulleys and be supported thereby, and the lower edge is exposed to the gripping device, substantially as described.

The band having a rib on one edge, in com bination with the supporting grooved pulleys, whereby the band is supported and one edge adapted to be seized by the gripping device of a vehicle, all substantially as described.

at. A traction device for cars and other vehicles, consisting of a band or flat cable having a rib on one edge, in combination with grooved supporting-pulleys and a series of holes on the other edge adapted to act in connection with a gripping device having a pinroller and a grooved roller, all substantially as described.

5. The gripping device mounted on the end of the pole of a car or other vehicle, said device consisting of jaw'levers and jaws adapted to be operated by the attendant, arms 011 said 'aws a )air of )ullcs one rooved and one J 7 l 7 subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD GORNALL.

XVitnesses:

hIURRAY HANSON, Gno. A. DUBREUIL. 

